Career and Education Opportunities for Geographic Information Systems Technologists in Fairfield, California

Fairfield, California provides a wide variety of opportunities, both career and educational, for geographic information systems technologists. The national trend for geographic information systems technologists sees this job pool growing by about 13.1% over the next eight years. In general, geographic information systems technologists research and develop geospatial technologies.

A person working as a geographic information systems technologist can expect to earn about $37 hourly or $77,360 per year on average in California and about $36 hourly or $75,150 annually on average in the U.S. as a whole. Incomes for geographic information systems technologists are the same as in the overall category of Geographic Informatics in California, and the same as the overall Geographic Informatics category nationally. People working as geographic information systems technologists can fill a number of jobs, such as: geospatial engineer, geographic information systems physical scientist , and geographic information systems database administrator .

There are sixteen schools of higher education in the Fairfield area, including four within twenty-five miles of Fairfield where you can get a degree to start your career as a geographic information systems technologist. Geographic information systems technologists usually hold a Bachelor's degree, so it will take about four years to learn to be a geographic information systems technologist if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Geographic Information Systems Technologist

In general, geographic information systems technologists research and develop geospatial technologies. They also may produce databases, perform applications programming or coordinate projects.

Geographic information systems technologists produce data layers or reports using spatial analysis procedures and Geographic data Systems (GIS) technology or systems. They also assist users in formulating Geographic data Systems (GIS) requirements or understanding the implications of alternatives. Equally important, geographic information systems technologists have to document or test Geographic data Systems (GIS) models, internet mapping solutions, or other applications. They are often called upon to read current literature, talk with colleagues or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in Geographic data Systems (GIS) technology or systems. They are expected to meet with clients to consider topics such as technical specifications and operational problems. Finally, geographic information systems technologists perform integrated and computerized Geographic data Systems (GIS) analyses to address scientific problems.

Every day, geographic information systems technologists are expected to be able to listen to and understand others in meetings. They need to read and understand documents and reports. It is also important that they articulate ideas and problems.

It is important for geographic information systems technologists to schedule or direct research or publication efforts of technicians or related staff. They are often called upon to conduct feasibility studies or identify system, time or cost requirements for projects. Somewhat less frequently, geographic information systems technologists are also expected to ready training materials for or make presentations to Geographic data Systems (GIS) users.

They also have to be able to direct the development or administration of Geographic data Systems (GIS) projects, including the development of technical priorities, client reporting and interface, or coordination and review of schedules and budgets and make recommendations regarding upgrades, considering implications of new or revised Geographic data Systems (GIS) software or applications. And finally, they sometimes have to schedule or direct research or publication efforts of technicians or related staff.

Like many other jobs, geographic information systems technologists must be able to absorb the factors involved and a problem and provide a well thought out solution and be thorough and dependable.

Contra Costa College, 2600 Mission Bell Dr, San Pablo, CA 94806-3195. Contra Costa College is a medium sized college located in San Pablo, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 7,147 students. Contra Costa College has an associate's degree program in Geography which graduated one student in 2008.

Napa Valley College - Napa, CA

Napa Valley College, 2277 Napa-Vallejo Hwy, Napa, CA 94558-6236. Napa Valley College is a medium sized college located in Napa, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 7,404 students. Napa Valley College has a less than one year and an associate's degree program in Information Technology which graduated five and one students respectively in 2008.

University of California-Davis - Davis, CA

University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-8678. University of California-Davis is a large university located in Davis, California. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 30,270 students and an admission rate of 59%. University of California-Davis has a master's degree and a doctor's degree program in Geography which graduated one and five students respectively in 2008.

Los Medanos College - Pittsburg, CA

Los Medanos College, 2700 East Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565. Los Medanos College is a medium sized college located in Pittsburg, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 8,360 students. Los Medanos College has a one to two year and a two to four year program in Information Technology which graduated one and zero students respectively in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified GIS/LIS Technologist:
This is certification is for technicians who integrate a variety of spatial data sets into a GIS format designed for graphic output or analysis.

Biomedical Electronics Technician:
Biomedical electronics technicians are expected to obtain knowledge of the principles of modern biomedical techniques, the proper procedure in the care, handling and maintenance of biomedical equipment and to display an attitude/behavior expected of an electronics technician who works in a hospital or healthcare environment.

Certified Satellite Installer:
Earning a Certified Satellite Installer (CSI) certification means you possess the knowledge and skills essential to a successful satellite technician as defined by experts in the field.

Licensed Penetration Tester:
The licensed penetration tester is a program which trains security professionals to analyze the security posture of a network exhaustively and recommend corrective measures authoritatively.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Fairfield, California

Fairfield, California photo by Ryanloney

Fairfield is located in Solano County, California. It has a population of over 103,683, which has grown by 7.8% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Fairfield, 143, is far greater than the national average. New single-family homes in Fairfield are valued at $197,000 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, thirty-four new homes were constructed in Fairfield, down from one hundred eighty the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Fairfield are health care, educational services, and public administration. For men, it is construction, public administration, and health care. The average travel time to work is about 30 minutes. More than 20.4% of Fairfield residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 6.1%, is lower than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Fairfield is 13.1%, which is greater than California's average of 12.3%.

The percentage of Fairfield residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 37.4%, is less than both the national and state average. The largest religious groups are the Catholic Church, the American Baptist Churches in the USA and the Southern Baptist Convention.

Fairfield is home to the Fairfield City Hall and the Dickson Hill Water Treatment Plant as well as Tabor Park and Sunrise Park. Shopping malls in the area include Geri Towne Shopping Center, Mission Village Shopping Center and Solano Mall Shopping Center.